Comments on: Olivier Messiaen's organ musichttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music/
Comments on MetaFilter post Olivier Messiaen's organ musicSun, 27 May 2012 07:09:29 -0800Sun, 27 May 2012 07:09:29 -0800en-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60Olivier Messiaen's organ musichttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music
<em>The irony in a way is that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grIa2-xP7kc">Messiaen</a> used this great romantic organ for his most <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbNKxRims1s">modern experiments</a>. For Messiaen, this was a great sort of sonic paintbox, if you like, and he would come here and experiment with the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d03Kmh3bEe8">extraordinary sounds</a> that he could conjure out of this amazing instrument.</em> <br /><br />In addition to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1Qxixombe0"><em>L'Ascension</em></a> (1934), Messiaen's major works for the instrument are <em>La Nativité du Seigneur</em> (1935) - whose "Les Anges" can be heard performed by the composer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLicbgxa11U">here</a> - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eic1nu80VPc"><em>Les Corps Glorieux</em></a> (1939), and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZQklPlwt9c"><em>Le Livre du Saint Sacrement</em></a> (1984).
Latry's performances in the Deutsche Grammophon 32 CD box set of the complete Messiaen - available by torrent - have received positive reviews. But I find greater profundity in the renditions by British organist <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZXtTAZ51jA">Jennifer Bate</a>.post:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354Sun, 27 May 2012 06:54:16 -0800TrurlartmusicclassicalorganreligioncatholicismfrenchcomposerchristianityBy: yoinkhttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366295
Don't forget <a href="http://gillianweir.com/discography/olivier-messiaen-the-complete-organ-works/">Gillian Weir</a>'s recordings. And yes, these are astonishing works. A pity, of course, that it's really impossible to replicate the experience of hearing the organ live on any kind of living-room sound system.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366295Sun, 27 May 2012 07:09:29 -0800yoinkBy: in278shttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366329
Berkshire Record Outlet has <a href="http://broinc.com/search.php?row=0&brocode=107459&stocknum=&submit=Find+Item&text=&filter=all">the six-CD Jennifer Bate Messiaen set</a> for 24 bucks. The booklet graphics are a bit cheesy (typical of the Regis label, which has licensed these recordings originally done for Unicorn-Kanchana) but there are extensive liner notes, and what's on the CDs is first-class.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366329Sun, 27 May 2012 07:45:22 -0800in278sBy: Nelsonhttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366350
I love Messiaen for his unapologetic mysticism. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeSVu1zbF94">Quartet for the End of Time</a> is my favorite, but I go to the organ pieces when I want something more textural, less narrative.
I've always wondered, he had a position as resident organist at a church. Did he play this music at actual services? I think it makes sense, given how religious the music is, but I can't imagine a church audience sitting still for this kind of modernism. Even a Parisian audience.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366350Sun, 27 May 2012 08:10:16 -0800NelsonBy: doubtfulpalacehttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366362
Netflix has or had a DVD featuring Messiaen himself at the organ, including some improvisations. The same disc has a performance of the Quartet in a ruined abbey. It's well worth queuing.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366362Sun, 27 May 2012 08:21:54 -0800doubtfulpalaceBy: StickyCarpethttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366366
<em> ....he had a position as resident organist at a church. Did he play this music at actual services? </em>
Yes he did. This led me into a somewhat comedic adventure. I was spending some time visiting a French girlfriend Paris, and she offered to arrange for whatever touristical needs I might have. I could find the museums myself, I replied, and the only thing I would like some help with was locating and attending a service where Messiaen was the organist. Despite one of her friends being a professional concert pianist, this proved to be a confounding request, admittedly pre-internet, but still, they had the MiniTel.
I wasn't relenting in this request, and I became known as the pain-in-the ass American. Eventually someone thought that they had discovered a time and place, quite inconvenient, where Messiaen would be giving a concert. Lots of sighs and moans later we arrive at the location, and find that it is in the Salle de Messiaen, a hall named after him but not featuring his performance.
The concert was actually an American expat jazz band. I was lucky that it was so, my hosts informed me, because they enjoyed the concert immensely, and that I was about one hour from being sent back to New York.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366366Sun, 27 May 2012 08:30:31 -0800StickyCarpetBy: Trurlhttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366410
<blockquote><em>... <a href="http://fredandsarah.blogspot.com/2008/12/olivier-messiaen-100.html">I met him</a> in the church of La Trinité in Paris on 29th December, 1974, soon after I had left university where I had specialised in his music.
As I entered the church, I was met by the most glorious blaze of organ sound - full organ in the style of very resplendent Bach. What a tremendous welcome to La Trinité! When the mass I was attending had finished, a helpful lady was insistent that I should meet the organist and went to ask a priest where I should wait. ...
We were all quite overcome and struck dumb by the sight of him, but he paused as if waiting for us to speak. In the end it was I that broke the silence, and then the others joined in. Messiaen seemed interested in us, kind and friendly, and I apologised for my bad French, explaining that I was English. He asked if we were all English, so we explained our various nationalities. Messiaen enthused about the organ at La Trinité, saying what a magnificent instrument it was, and gave us a brief history of the instrument which I didn't quite grasp since he spoke only in French. He spoke of it with great warmth, affection and quiet enthusiasm. I mentioned that I knew the organist Gillian Weir and Messiaen immediately began to enthuse about her, saying what a magnificent organist she was. Was she really mon "amie?" He had a rather soft, musical voice and seemed very kindly, but also business-like and obviously didn't want to hang around for too long, though he wasn't in a hurry either. Then he turned, shook hands with me and said "Merci" really warmly, and did the same with a couple of the others. He went to join Yvonne Loriod who was already in their car, and they drove off, while we, in a state of euphoria, hardly knew where we went.</em></blockquote>comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366410Sun, 27 May 2012 10:01:31 -0800TrurlBy: airing nerdy laundryhttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366437
I just listened to the L'Ascension performance you linked (previously I'd only heard the orchestral version).
Powerful! And with a new movement! I really liked it.
I really like Messiaen in general, but haven't focused on his organ works. Thanks for a nice intro. to 'em.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366437Sun, 27 May 2012 10:45:51 -0800airing nerdy laundryBy: snaparapanshttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366535
One of the consistent elements of Messian's music is his use of birdsongs.. <a href="http://www.oliviermessiaen.org/birdsongs.html#pchic"> here</a> is pretty cool site that compares the original birdsong he recorded and the transcription to music.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366535Sun, 27 May 2012 12:57:00 -0800snaparapansBy: paperpetehttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4366553
First of all, thanks very much for the post - longstanding Messiaen organ music fan here, and it's great to see it getting some exposure on mefi at last.
Some Messiaen improvisation footage is <a href="http://youtu.be/SY7g0ULVl2I">here</a>. A performance on Messiaen's organ at La Trinité by Naji Hakim, the current organist, is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMlYI2hCd-Y">here</a>.
(It's well worth having a listen to Gillian Weir's performances. There isn't quite the opulence of organ sound as in Latry's, but for my money her musicality is a lot more heartfelt and consistent - and musical to the ear - than Jennifer Bate's. Also, as a bonus the liner notes in Weir's remastered version on Priory Records are superb.)comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4366553Sun, 27 May 2012 13:13:07 -0800paperpeteBy: jfullerhttp://www.metafilter.com/116354/Olivier-Messiaens-organ-music#4367656
I will never give up hope of hearing Messiaen played on the orgue à tuyaux that most cries out for it. Namely Captain Nemo's, in the Nautilus.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.116354-4367656Mon, 28 May 2012 10:56:09 -0800jfuller